Original Game Boy versions of Pokémon Red and Blue ported to PC with 3D voxel graphics

It's one of the biggest gaming franchises in the world, and one that began 30 years ago with Pokémon Red and Blue on the original Nintendo Game Boy. With the RPG focusing on players becoming a Pokémon Trainer, catching and battling "pocket monsters," its unique premise paved the way for multiple sequels, spin-offs, an animated series, a movie, trading cards, and more.

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In typical Nintendo fashion, if you wanted to play Pokémon Red and Blue on a non-Nintendo handheld or system, you would have to go the emulation route. That's not what this is: Gen1Recomp is a native LÖVE2D recreation of Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow, with all code hand-written in Lua, and game data and graphics supplied by a ROM backup of these original Game Boy Pokémon games.

This is par for the course when it comes to playing native PC versions of classic Nintendo games; a ROM needs to be provided, as things like graphics, music, and other assets are copyrighted or protected, whereas decompiling and re-creating the core engine or code is considered open. What makes Gen1Recomp stand out is that it's a faithful port and recreation of these classic games, but with a new 3D voxel presentation that gives these classics the look of a pop-up book or diorama.

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Playable with keyboard and mouse, this Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow port is playable on just about any system, with support for Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, and iOS. This makes it a prime candidate for portable gaming hardware and handhelds of all shapes and sizes, as even though it's a 3D version of a rudimentary 2D game from 1996, the visuals are still primitive by today's standards.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Question #1

How does Gen1Recomp handle original game assets like graphics and music?

Gen1Recomp uses the original game data and assets from a user-supplied ROM backup, with graphics, music, and other assets taken from that ROM. The project re-creates the game engine in Lua and replaces the 2D visuals with a new 3D voxel presentation while relying on the ROM for the original copyrighted assets.

Answered

Question #2

Does Gen1Recomp require a ROM file to run, and where should it come from?

Yes. Gen1Recomp requires a ROM file: the game data and graphics are supplied by a ROM backup of the original Game Boy Pokémon Red, Blue, or Yellow. The ROM must be a backup of those original Game Boy games because the project uses the ROM for copyrighted assets.

Answered

Question #3

What input methods are supported—can I play with keyboard, mouse, or gamepad?

The article states Gen1Recomp is playable with keyboard and mouse. It does not mention or confirm support for gamepads or other controllers.

Answered

Question #4

How does the 3D voxel presentation affect performance on low-end or portable hardware?

The article says the 3D voxel presentation is still visually primitive by today’s standards and the port is playable on just about any system, making it a prime candidate for portable gaming hardware and handhelds. It therefore implies the voxel graphics do not prevent the game from running on low-end or portable hardware.

Answered

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You can download the full Gen1Recomp native port of Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow over on GitHub.